Seafarer salaries by rank
Median salary, range and typical contract length across 49 ranks. Counted from 28,307 vacancies shown on the platform over the last 90 days. Updated 03/10/2026.
| Rank | Median per month | Half of the offers | Vacancies over 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Officer | $7,500 | $4,400–$10,000 | 3,224 |
| Chief Engineer | $9,500 | $7,950–$12,650 | 2,967 |
| Second Engineer | $7,800 | $5,600–$10,000 | 2,793 |
| Master | $10,050 | $8,550–$13,550 | 1,856 |
| Third Engineer | $3,750 | $2,600–$4,500 | 1,851 |
| Second Officer | $3,600 | $2,700–$4,300 | 1,821 |
| Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) | $6,000 | $3,700–$6,800 | 1,809 |
| Ship's Cook | $2,000 | $1,750–$2,300 | 1,529 |
| Third Officer | $3,300 | $3,000–$3,850 | 1,250 |
| Able Seafarer Deck (AB) | $1,950 | $1,650–$2,300 | 1,190 |
| Ordinary Seaman (OS) | $1,500 | $1,300–$1,800 | 1,081 |
| Fourth Engineer | $3,500 | $3,000–$4,000 | 891 |
| Bosun | $2,100 | $2,000–$2,500 | 594 |
| Oiler | $1,900 | $1,750–$2,200 | 590 |
| Watchkeeping Seaman (RFPNW) | $1,550 | $1,500–$1,600 | 533 |
| Motorman | $1,700 | $1,450–$2,100 | 410 |
| Fitter-Welder | $2,700 | $2,500–$3,000 | 385 |
| Boatswain (Inland) | $2,050 | $2,050 | 287 |
| Engineer Officer of the Watch (EOOW) | $2,450 | $2,450–$3,100 | 287 |
| Ship Cook (Inland) | $1,950 | $1,700–$1,950 | 252 |
| Ship's Electrician | $4,500 | $4,000–$5,950 | 226 |
| Chief Officer (Inland) | $3,900 | $2,850–$4,400 | 216 |
| Seaman (Inland) | $1,400 | $1,350–$1,550 | 202 |
| AB-Cook | $2,750 | $2,500–$2,750 | 194 |
| Pumpman | $3,000 | $2,700–$3,200 | 155 |
| Engineer (Inland) | $2,700 | $2,500–$3,200 | 151 |
| Galley Hand | $1,250 | $1,100–$1,600 | 142 |
| Wiper | $1,500 | $1,250–$1,700 | 122 |
| Master-Engineer | $2,450 | $1,850–$3,000 | 107 |
| Watchkeeping Motorman (RFPEW) | $1,950 | $1,450–$2,000 | 98 |
| Officer of the Watch (OOW) | $2,200 | $2,000–$2,200 | 94 |
| Motorman-Welder | $2,300 | $750–$2,300 | 94 |
| Deck Cadet | $1,500 | $800–$2,000 | 91 |
| Chief Cook | $2,500 | $2,100–$2,800 | 75 |
| Master (Inland Waterways) | $3,350 | $2,350–$3,350 | 73 |
| Steward | $1,400 | $1,400–$2,300 | 73 |
| Motorman (Inland) | $1,400 | $1,250–$1,400 | 70 |
| ETO (Inland) | $3,050 | $3,050–$4,050 | 68 |
| Ship's Fitter | $2,000 | $2,000–$2,050 | 64 |
| Helmsman | $1,300 | $1,300 | 55 |
| Crane Operator | $1,250 | $1,250–$2,800 | 54 |
| Engine Cadet | $1,500 | $850–$1,750 | 46 |
| Machinist | $1,850 | $1,800–$1,850 | 45 |
| Messman | $1,450 | $1,450–$2,350 | 39 |
| Ship's Welder | $1,800 | $1,800 | 37 |
| Motorman-Helmsman | $800 | $800 | 32 |
| GP Rating (AB/Motorman) | $900 | $900 | 30 |
| Ship Electrician (Inland) | $1,200 | $1,200 | 28 |
| Refrigeration Engineer (Reefer) | $4,250 | $4,250–$4,500 | 26 |
All amounts are in US dollars per month.
How this is counted
Source: postings shown on the platform over the last 90 days, dated by the last time each was seen; external postings are included and shown with their source.
Only monthly rates are counted: 28,374 postings out of 37,174. Day rates (685) and postings whose period stayed unknown (7,186) are left out.
In 12,764 of the counted postings the source did not state the period and the platform set it to monthly from the size of the rate: no day rate on this market runs that high. The threshold depends on the currency, for the US dollar it is $1,000 per month.
Amounts are converted to US dollars at the rate current when the posting was collected: the platform keeps no history of daily rates.
The figures are a median and the 25th and 75th percentiles, not an average: a single inflated posting moves an average and barely moves a median.
Groups below 20 vacancies are not published, and a vessel-type row starts at 10. Rates outside $200 and $40,000 per month are treated as source errors and left out.
Vacancies with negotiable pay are left out of the count: 2,276 of them in the window.
Updated 03/10/2026, window from 05/07/2026 to 03/10/2026.